Cruel Heart
by Chantal du Lac
Summary: During a raid on a forsaken planet, Kylo Ren finds a Force-sensitive teenager. The boy is defiant, hungry, desperate, and unpolished, but Kylo Ren decides to bring him along. Snoke gives the boy as a present to Kylo – to develop his abilities, break him, or even kill him – as he sees fit. But the boy is hiding a secret...Dark story, mature content. Full summary and warnings inside.
1. Prologue

**CRUEL HEART**

 **Synopsis: During a raid on a forsaken planet, Kylo Ren finds a Force-sensitive teenager. The boy is defiant, hungry, desperate, and unpolished, but Kylo Ren decides to bring him along. Snoke gives the boy as a present to Kylo – to develop his abilities, break him, or even kill him – as he sees fit. But the boy is hiding a secret...Dark story, mature content.**

 **READ THIS BEFORE YOU DELVE INTO THE STORY:**

This story is set in an Alternate universe, in which Kylo Ren has not met Rey and he has almost finished his training as Snoke's apprentice. It is also an unbetaid story, sorry for that – if you find weird expressions/mistakes, it is because I'm not a native English speaker. I just had this idea for another Star Wars story and couldn't wait to get to my computer tonight.

 **Warnings** : dark fic, alternate universe, sexual situations, angst, dubious consent, violence.

 **Feedback** from you is important for me, since I will invest a lot of time in this story, therefore please let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome.

Now that you've been warned, **enjoy**!

 **Prologue**

It was a strange, small, reddish planet, a world of violent sandstorms and a known hideout of precious metal traffickers. From where Kylo Ran sat on the deck of the Finalizer, it looked insignificant, forsaken, uninteresting. He'd never been down there before, although the planet had been raided several times by the First Order over the years, and a lot of precious material had been confiscated. Whenever they had passed close to the Outer Rim, they would stop there to get supplies, and ensure that the planet was still under the tight control of the First Order. It was an easy mission, always.

However, the men sent on the planet earlier today were behind the schedule. The Finalizer should have already been on its way to Moraband. Supreme Leader Snoke was expecting Kylo Ren for his final trials. Soon, the Sith apprentice would become a Sith Lord in his own right.

"What's keeping them, captain?" Kylo inquired. The officer turned to him, trying to suppress a pang of fear as he was addressed by the most dangerous person in the First Order. With his very tall and dominating frame, always dressed in his dark knight attire and the mask modulating his voice on, Kylo Ren was a sight to be held. As if the appearance was not intimidating enough for his interlocutors, the man was known for possessing some kind of magical powers, long extinct in the Galaxy, that only the Supreme Leader was rumoured to have as well. No wonder that in just a few years the temperamental commander had become Snoke's apprentice and second in command. But, Kylo Ren was also known for his dreadful temper. Countless officers and troopers had lost their lives at his hands, sometimes for the tiniest mistakes. For this reason, most officers on the ship tried not to get in his way and were terrified in his presence.

"We have been informed that a new illegal mining colony was discovered, commander. The men we sent are investigating the matter."

"I don't remember giving any specific instructions to investigate. It was not in their mandate," Kylo said and discontent was already detectable in his deep, modulated voice.

The officer hesitated. "Sir, General Hux ordered to look into the matter," he said, staring at his feet.

 _Bloody Hux_ , Ren thought. Of course, he would, without even consulting the leader of the Finalizer. Even from the other side of the Galaxy, Hux was trying to control every little detail in the First Order. Ren looked for a moment at the frozen captain before him, then back to the little red planet on screen.

He had a bad feeling about stopping here. About taking a ship down on that planet. About everything. He tried not to dwell on it, pushing the paranoia away, and said: "Fine captain. Let's see what General Hux is worried about. Prepare my TIE-Fighter."

Down through the thick reddish clouds of sand and other debris rising from the planet's surface, Kylo Ren could vaguely distinguish the mining colony that his troopers were investigating. He repressed an aggravated sigh as the ship landed and the doorway fell open, letting them through. He was happy for his mask and armour. The heat outside was unbearable, and his suit at least provided for some protection.

The men had surrounded the place and were pointing their blasters at a large group of miners – perhaps miners was not the right word to describe that pathetic crowd of men, women and even a few children, most of them forced workers, perhaps slaves. They had been pushed to their knees, hands behind their necks, and looked frightened beyond belief.

 _As if there is anything more frightening than being trapped in this hellhole forever,_ Kylo mused. For it was really a hellhole. Behind them there was the entrance to the mine, abandoned old droids scattered around, and beyond that only darkness. A pitch black fall into the void.

Captain Phasma, a tall woman in an armoured uniform, who was in charge of the mission, saluted him. "Commander," she said in her modulated voice behind her helmet, "we have found the owner of the illegal mining colony. His name is De'Leag. He's known for several other minor offences. What shall we do with him?"

Kylo Ren watched as two troopers brought forward from the crowd a short, skinny human male. He was wearing a rich attire and protested when the stormtroopers pushed him to his knees, blasters menacingly behind his head.

"Kill him," the Sith replied, without any trace of hesitation.

While his order was executed, he continued to look at the crowd of frightened people before him.

"What are they?" he asked captain Phasma.

"Slaves mostly, Sir," she replied.

He nodded, the feeling of uneasiness returning to him. His senses screamed in unison that he should not be here. Still, he could not take his eyes off the crowd. The hungry, desperate faces before him fascinated him. He noticed an old man before him, in rags, wild white hair, trembling hands, his body dirty, his shoes rumpled. He was staring at Kylo, almost vacantly, but the tremble of his hands betrayed his fear. Kylo could feel it, the fear irradiating from every one of them. His eyes skimmed over the crowd, drawing power from their fear.

"What shall we do with them, Sir?" Phasma asked, pointing at the crowd, while the body of the owner was dragged away , a trace of blood from his wounds staining the grounds.

Kylo Ren already had the answer to that, but he stopped short opening his mouth to reply. His eyes fell on a teenage boy who was staring back at him defiantly. Suddenly, the whole crowd before him evaporated, and Kylo and the boy were the only people in the whole Galaxy. There wasn't a trace of fear in those hooded eyes looking up at Kylo, a slight scowl marring the boy's otherwise agreeable features. The frown between his brows was replaced by a leer, as the boy saw Kylo staring back at him.

Something stirred in Kylo's chest, as he stared at him with fascination. There was no doubt the boy was gifted: he _radiated_ through the Force. Kylo took a calming breath, trying to cool down his excitement at his unexpected discovery.

"Sir?" captain Phasma insisted.

"Bring him to me!" Kylo ordered, ignoring her initial question.

Phasma identified the person her commander was talking about, and signalled a trooper to bring him forth. The boy was thrown unceremoniously at Kylo's feet, the dark lord towering over him curiously. The boy looked up at him, without bothering to get to his feet.

He could not be more than fifteen-sixteen years old, Kylo thought. He was scrawny, even too scrawny for a boy of that age. He was dirty beyond belief, even his face had traces of dirt. He wore a sleeveless green tunic, and knee-long, brown pants. His knees bore traces of old wounds, and new bloody scratches blossomed where he had just hit the ground. He wore no shoes at all, the soles of his feet bruised and bloody. And still, that defiant look in his eyes...

Kylo crouched at his level, his stature still dominating him.

"Your name?" he asked.

Up close, he noted the colour of the boy's eyes was very similar to the colour of the most sought after and expensive gem in the Galaxy. Dark green with specs of gold. Framed by thick, dark lashes, they would have been sort of fascinating, if not for that look. Or perhaps because of it.

The boy blinked and seemed to study Kylo's helmet. He did not give an answer.

"I said, your name, boy?" Kylo repeated, in his modulated voice.

The boy bit his lip and seemed to ponder for a moment, still appraising Kylo, before he said in a flat tone: "Why should I tell you anything? You'll kill all of us anyway."

Kylo flinched at the certainty in his voice, suddenly understanding that this uneducated boy in the ways of the Force had found a way into his mind, while he had been not protecting his thoughts earlier.

A whisper broke through the crowd, people panicking.

Kylo suddenly stood and extended his hand in the boy's direction, lifting him off the ground. The boy's body struggled, and his hands clutched desperately at his neck, as Kylo used the Force to choke him.

"I asked you a question," he said coolly. The boy continued to struggle in his Force grasp, and Kylo did not let go until he sensed the boy was very verge of death. Then he released him, the teenager falling to the ground with a loud thud.

Kylo crouched again, watching him curiously. The boy slowly gathered his wits, looking dizzy.

"My name is Jace," he said distinctively, through gritted teeth. And with that, he had the audacity to spit on Kylo Ren's mask.

Everyone around gasped in fear, and Phasma watched in disbelief, then aiming her blaster at the boy. Some looked away as Kylo Ren instantly slapped the boy hard on the side of his face, sending him face first into the ground, coughing blood.

This was not enough bloodshed to satisfy the thirst for revenge of leader of the Knights of Ren, though, especially after being thus offended.

Kylo stood and looked at Phasma. "Kill them all," he ordered. "And put him on board."


	2. Chapter 1

**Cruel heart**

 **Chapter 1**

Kylo Ren walked purposefully through the narrow corridors of Star Destroyer Finalizer in the direction of his private apartments. Behind him, the boy was being dragged along by two stormtroopers. Even after he had been brought on board, he still had not lost all hope of escaping, and was putting up a stubborn fight against the troopers. It would have been so easy to just use his powers to incapacitate him, but Kylo thoroughly enjoyed himself witnessing the boy's unfaltering defiance and somewhat amusing, useless struggle. _It would be such a pleasure to break his will_ , he thought. However, his fate was for the Supreme Leader to decide, so Kylo preferred not to duel on the issue for now.

As he entered his chambers, the lights automatically switched on and he took a few steps into the living room before turning around and dismissing the stormtroopers.

"Let him go, and send the droids with dinner for two," he ordered. "Every dish available," he added, with a thin smile behind his mask.

When the troopers walked out, the boy stood near the door, looking around curiously. Judging by the bewildered look on his face, he had never seen such lavish interior before. Kylo watched him for a few seconds, then said evenly, the sound of his voice modulated through the black helmet:

"You don't seem very intelligent, Jace, so I'll make the rules very clear to you from the beginning. There is no escape from this ship, so don't waste your time trying to find a way out. You have had a taste of my powers, so do not make me use them on you again. You will obey my every command, otherwise there will be dire punishment. I may even kill you, if I so please. You are at my mercy."

The boy seemed surprised to hear Kylo say his name; his eyes flickered to Kylo's mask to the place where he supposed his eyes should be. "You won't kill me," he said unruffled by Kylo's warning. "You killed everyone else at the colony, but not me. It's clear that you brought me here for some reason."

Kylo walked slowly in his direction, until he was towering over his small frame again. He grasped his chin painfully and made him look up at him.

"Perhaps I won't kill you, but I will take full advantage of my power to make you suffer until you'll beg for death yourself," Kylo said, almost sweetly.

The boy's eyes widened then, and Kylo felt his fear.

"I'm not afraid of you," the boy said, though gritted teeth, although he was sure the dark monster before him did not believe him for a moment.

Kylo chuckled softly behind his mask, and let go of his jaw. He turned around and walked into the next room, coming back after a few moments with a set of dark clothes and threw them at Jace's feet.

"The second door down the corridor there are personnel showers. Get out of my apartment and wash yourself. I can't stand your disgusting odour."

The boy grabbed the new clothing in haste, and shooting Kylo a venomous look, left the room. A moment later, two domestic droids came in and started setting the dishes on the small table before the couch the knight sat on.

Kylo contemplated their work with interest, looking forward to Jace's reaction to so much food. It was clear that he had been starving for months before he found him. He was so bony; it was a miracle they had kept him to do work at a mining colony.

Just as he was preparing to unclasp his helmet and enjoy his dinner, he sensed that something was not completely right. He reached through the Force, looking for the boy and did not like what he sensed. In just a matter of minutes he had managed to put himself in imminent danger. Annoyed, Kylo grabbed his lightsaber and left his rooms abruptly.

What he found in the common shower room did not please him in the least. There were several men in the room shower room, busy washing themselves, but in a corner a naked trooper was pinning the boy against the tiled wall, holding his hands in a tight grip above his head. The other was trying to rip off his clothes while Jace was desperately kicking at him, trying to escape.

There was no doubt as to their intentions. The boy let go of a strangled cry as the man holding his arms tried to kiss him on the mouth. The other dragged a hand over the front of his body and made a sound of surprise. His companion in crime turned to him, but it was the last thing he did, as Kylo Ren's sword sliced through him and he fell on the ground dead. Ren lifted his left hand and the other man flew against the opposite wall, the sound of his skull cracking against the tiles reverberating through the room.

"Who gave you permission to touch my property?" he growled. The other men cowered near the walls in fear.

Liberated, Jace found himself on the wet floor, next to the charred, bloody body of one of the assailants. He stared at the dead man with wild eyes.

The black knight suddenly grabbed the back of his tunic and hauled him to his feet, dragging him out of the foggy, wet shower room, down the corridor, and back to his apartment. Ren dragged him brutally through his living room, his bedroom and finally past the door leading to his private wash room. He threw him on the stone floor of his shower and switched on a button. Cold water poured mercilessly on the small body before him, drenching Jace, who shone away from the stream, crawling in a corner. Annoyed at the boy's inaction, Kylo hauled him to his feet and proceeded to rip off his tunic, grabbing a bar of soap in the other hand.

The boy suddenly started to kick him wildly, in utter panic, but his force meant nothing compared to the raw strength holding him.

"Please," he whispered, after a few moments, halting all movement. "I will do it. I will do it myself."

Kylo assessed him for a moment, trying to ascertain his sincerity. The boy looked at him, his eyes wide with panic and tears, his face flushed. He finally let go of him, throwing the bar of soap at him and stepping out of the shower.

"Make it quick," he ordered.

A moment later, Jace heard the door closing behind his tormentor. A tear streamed down his dirty cheeks, mingling with the cold water.

* * *

Jace returned to the living room fifteen minutes later, dressed in a black tunic and pants, both far too large for him. Kylo Ren put his data pad on the desk as the boy entered and assessed him critically. The stench was gone, and instead the boy smelled of his own cosmetics. Kylo hated the idea of letting him use his own washroom, but he had no better idea of what to do with him at the moment, given the evening's earlier events. The boy was like a magnet for trouble.

"Sit there," he ordered, gesturing to the boy to sit on the rug in front of the small table.

The boy obeyed and sat down, gulping at the sight of the food before him. He watched Kylo Ren as he lied down on the couch and brought his hands at the sides of his face, unclasping his helmet, before pulling it off and setting it with a loud thud on the small side table near the couch. The boy gasped for a moment, as he watched him with fear and fascination. Then a bewildered expression took over his features for a moment. _Always the same reaction_ , Kylo thought. Everyone expected a monster behind the mask. They were always in for a big surprise.

As Kylo's eyes searched him, the boy schooled his features and looked down. He seemed a little flustered, but Kylo suspected it was the result of what had happened earlier.

Kylo threw his gloves on the ground and started eating, watching the boy curiously in turn. He was definitely strange for a human male. His features were particularly delicate, his cheek line smooth, his nose straight and small, and his lips sinfully plush. Even the texture of his skin looked silky, despite its darker shade. Kylo found himself wondering if it really was as smooth to the touch as it seemed.

As for those gem-like eyes...

"Look at me!" he ordered, as the boy continued staring stubbornly at the floor. He snapped to attention, and their eyes locked. Kylo wished he could read the boy, but he postponed it until he would be rested.

His smouldering dark eyes released the boy's and wandered down his scrawny body, amused at the way his clothes hung off his tiny frame. His feet were still bare and bruised. He would need to call a medical droid to deal with the boy's various wounds.

"Eat," Kylo suddenly ordered, having finished inspecting him.

The boy did not need to be told twice. He started stuffing his mouth hastily with everything he could reach from the table. Kylo smirked and poured himself a glass of alcohol.

They ate in silence for a while, until Jace sighed and halted, a piece of bread still in his hand.

"Stop it, if you're full. You'll be sick," Kylo said, amused at the boy's hunger and desperation. He put his cup on the table and stood, grabbing his data pad again.

"How old are you?" he asked.

The boy hesitated. "I'll be eighteen soon," he finally replied.

Kylo scoffed, assessing again his small body.

"I find that hard to believe. Did they ever feed you at the colony?"

The boy's face darkened in humiliation.

Kylo stood and continued: "I have sent for a medical droid to deal with your feet," he said, setting the pad aside, next to his lightsaber. He loosened his cape off his shoulders and let it fall on the ground. His thick belt followed, and so did his black tunic, and the light armour he wore under his tunic.

Jace watched in disbelief as Kylo continued to shed off the rest of his clothes one by one, throwing them negligently on the ground, as he walked towards the washroom, revealing his muscular body. "Don't touch anything and don't do anything stupid," the knight called over his shoulder. "I can sense everything going on in this room."

* * *

Kylo thoroughly enjoyed the stream of water caressing his body after the earlier dreadful experience in the heat of that forsaken planet. He reached out through the Force and calmed down when he realized that the boy was being tended to by the medical droid. He could at least peacefully wash his hair too, before dealing with the boy's disobedience again. He had left his lightsaber behind on purpose - to see whether the boy would be tempted enough by it to disobey him. He had to test him, push his limits and see what he was capable of before he decided whether it was worth bringing him before the Supreme Leader or not.

In the living room, Jace approached Ren's lightsaber curiously, before switching it on and appraising the unstable blade fearfully.

How was she supposed to escape this place, she wondered, and most importantly, how she could she successfully hide from the monster in the next room the fact that she was not actually a man?

* * *

 **A/N: I'm so excited about this story, I could write all day long, but unfortunatelly one has to go to work. Thanks for favoriting, following and please let me know your thoughts about the story so far!**


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